It may be desired in circuits comprising an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) or an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) to read and erase the EPROM or EEPROM, and to write new data into the EPROM or EEPROM. Though this processing may be readily performed for an individual EPROM or EEPROM, the reading, erasing, and writing of mass quantities of the EPROM or EEPROMs may be time-consuming and difficult.
An example of an application that requires such reading, erasing, and writing of data onto or from EPROMs and EEPROMs is a removable memory module used in a high security pay television system, such as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,034 issued to Wiedemer. Under such a system, the memory module mates with a decoder so that the electronic circuitry of the pay television system can be read from and write to the memory module. The memory module is removable so as to be replaced periodically and then taken to a central billing facility for reading for billing purposes. Where there are many subscribers to such a pay television system, a means of rapidly processing the memory modules is necessary. Such processing includes a reading of program identification codes that have been written into the memory modules, an erasure of the memory module, and a writing of subscriber codes or other information onto a new or newly erased module.